Manufacturing & The Economy

May U.S. manufacturing technology orders totaled $430.06 million according to the Association for Manufacturing Technology. This total, as reported by companies participating in the USMTO program, was up 13.6% from April but down 7.6% when compared with the total of $465.38 million reported for May 2012. With a year-to-date total of $2,085.14 million, 2013 is down 6.9% compared with 2012.

“A rise in U.S. manufacturing technology orders is welcome as we move into the summer months, which are typically soft. New technologies are creating change in automotive production, while many aerospace manufacturers are making shifts within their supply chains,” said AMT vice president Patrick W. McGibbon. “Contract machining is also seeing growth thanks to the cost advantages of manufacturing within the U.S. Meanwhile, foreign direct investment within the U.S. continues to increase, and all of these factors are contributing to new capital investment within manufacturing.”